Despite the brilliant "inclusive" nature of parkruns for some, particularly those new to running it may still seem a step too far. So, by way of reassurance, here are my nine reasons why you should parkrun this weekend.

As the miserable weather draws in and Christmas is round the corner, you hear more and more people giving excuses on why they can't incorporate exercise into their lives. It's time to stop! You are better than that. Next time you excuse your lack of exercise, remember the following reasons to pick up your gym kit:

There's more to a good 'pump' than just vanity, though. A pump shows that your body is in a state of readiness to train, and that your muscles are being filled with nutrient rich blood ready to kickstart the recovery process. Chasing a 'pump' at the end of a workout may actually fast track your gains.

In Part 1 of my blog on Vitamin D, I explained that there aren't many great dietary sources of vitamin D and it's really difficult to get all you need from food. In part 2 I'm laying down how to guarantee you get enough D and clearing up why it's so important that you get the right amount.

There's only so much disappointment mere mortals can take, so if you've been eating natural wholefoods for weeks and still hate every single mouthful, no-one would blame you for throwing in the towel and finding comfort in a double cheeseburger with fries.

Of course wearables can be really helpful when we are flagging, but they are there to serve, not replace what you want to achieve. And when we do something with the technology, it can make a huge difference. Think of the pleasure people get from vinyl records again, and lifting the arm onto the record, compared with a streamed playlist on your phone; it becomes an event.

I have had a love of running for as long as I can remember. I was the child who had an incredible amount of energy and wanted to race my friends all the time. The problem was, most of my friends had no care for running up and down the street and I had no care for playing with dolls.

A calorie burned at 9am is the same as a calorie burned at 9pm, but there are benefits of working out past your bedtime. Consider becoming a night owl and making the most of the gains that can be had exercising after dark.

When I started running, it was something I did alone and, dare I say it, in 'secret' for a while. Because I wasn't talking about it with anyone, and wasn't aware that any of my friends were into running, predictably I resorted to the Internet to tell me what I needed to know.

The clocks have gone back and the evenings are darker, but the pace of fresh new research into health and fitness hasn't slowed down at all. Here are five things we learned last month that may well be useful for your own training! Especially if you suffer from DOMS or a stitch...

The diet itself is all about getting your body into a state of ketosis, which is essentially when your body burns fat (either body fat or dietary fat) as the primary fuel, instead of glucose from carbohydrates. Ketosis is created by eating high amounts of healthy fat, moderate protein and low levels of carbohydrate.

One of the many reasons I struggle to eat is because of the guilt I feel about it. When I am eating I feel like I am committing a crime, my mind is te...

'Outdoor' is the new 'indoor'. The rise of 'Green Exercise' has led to the development of a range of new and exciting ways to make the most of nature's gym. Here are five of my favourite outdoor fitness trends for 2016/17.

I have been vegan for four years now and love the lifestyle choice with all the positivity that comes with it! However, I have experienced my fair share of vegan hurdles. Being a very keen traveller I have realised that travelling can expose some of these hurdles

Anyone who regularly follows fitness models on social media will no doubt find someone championing fasted cardio. "I've been on the treadmill for 2 hours since 6am and haven't eaten a thing! #skinny" Valencia isn't the only filter at use here though. It's time to slow down the pursuit of fat loss and get your fill of the facts.

One food group that has been given a pretty bad rep over the past few years is carbohydrates. The common perception now is that the fewer carbs we eat the better, with some of us avoiding carbs altogether... but is this really a healthy option for our bodies? Well, frankly, no.