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Coca Cola Thank You Fund Editorial Header

This is the final week for non-profits and voluntary groups to enter The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund, with the deadline of June 29th at 6pm fast approaching.

€125,000 is available from the Fund – in five separate €25,000 grants – for projects that reflect new ideas to get people more active, more often.

Applications for the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund 2015 can be made at www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou.

New Ideas

The Fund would like to hear from a broad range of organizations with novel ideas to motivate their community, or indeed the whole country, to get moving. Projects can involve traditionally popular sports or newer forms of physical activity. The Fund is searching for organisations that have the passion and energy to get a new project off the ground and get people excited about taking part.Derval OR

Fund Ambassador, Derval O’Rourke

Derval O’Rourke, Coca-Cola Thank You Fund ambassador, said: “I’m hoping to uncover some fantastic community initiatives that make it possible for the public to access activity programmes within their locality, and would urge all organisations with ideas for ways we can all get more active to apply now.”

In celebration of the Fund, Derval has put together her top ten tips to help you get active. Click here to read those tips on the Coca-Cola Journey website.

A Little Inspiration

Looking for some inspiration for your entry? Click here to watch a video of Canoeing Ireland’s Kayak Instructor Training Initiative which received €25,000 from the Fund last year.

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Coca Cola Thank You Fund Editorial HeaderIt’s that time of year again and we have to take off the overcoats and let it all hang out! If you didn’t get round to earning your summer body during those cold winter months, then here are some tips and pointers on how to get holiday fit using the simple and free amenities right on our doorstep, along with some food tips and holiday fitness top tips!

Firstly, we are going to look at your kit! Start off by having a good pair of runners, no, Converse will not do… you need something that has good support and that you will feel comfortable in when out and about. Then get yourself some nice colourful and fun sports gear. The fitness fashion world is so colourful and trendy at the moment, that there is no excuse for wearing those oversized baggy t-shirts that you have been wearing since college… time to be confident and look the part! Wear tight fitting clothes and you will feel stronger and leaner when out training. And lastly, get yourself some fun music with a good beat that will keep you going throughout your workout, leave the Adele tunes for the chill times, and get some funky Mark Ronson tunes that you can’t help but move to!Lorraine Ho-1

Ok now you’re kitted out and feeling the part at least. Now let’s look at our options. Check out your local park and see what they have to offer for free. A bench for example is like a gym in itself! You can do tricep dips, step up step downs, press ups, inverted press ups, stretching, all angle planks, sit ups and so much more! But be diligent and note down the exercises that you are able for, then do up a chart of each exercise, and the number of reps you’d like to do. Aim for 3 sets of 12 to start off with, and build on that as the weeks go on. Then look for a chunky tree and use it for squats, stretching, resistance band work (tie the band around a secure branch), e.g. chest press, lateral raises, bicep curls and lots more. Then use trees or goalposts as markers in the park to pace yourself on interval sprints. This will get your fitness levels soaring and really help you burn calories for the holiday! Set out a plan on stick to it. Maybe arrange to meet a friend there twice a week for a catch up and some exercise! When you arrive at the park, make yourself do a few laps of the space allowed, and starting with a slow warm up jog for about 5 minutes, and then gradually building it up to a faster pace for about 10 minutes. That will get your heart rate up and followed by some dynamic stretches, you will be all set for your workout!

For a change of scenery once a week, why not get yourself out to the seaside and with or without your wetsuit, jump in for a dip. Especially after a jog or a workout, this is the most invigorating thing you can do! But don’t just jump in and out again, actually do some distance. Set yourself a target, and swim out to it and back. Sea swimming is a lot tougher than swimming in a pool, but way more interesting! When the weather is nice, I often jump on the bike, and cycle to either Seapoint or the Forty foot for a dip and then back on the back again home, and it makes me feel so good.

When it comes to getting in shape for holidays, I do go into panic mode and while I do eat well and healthy … most of the time, I fall off the wagon when tempted by a good night out with the girls, or simply a weekend of entertaining or being entertained if I’m lucky. So when this happens to the best of us, here are some things that you can do that work for me and kick start my ‘get in shape’ regime, with 3-4 weeks to go.

My exercise regime:

  1. I’ll get up 2-3 mornings a week in time to go for a light jog, about 30-40mins. This totally shakes the cobwebs and gives my body a kick start for the day. If you can’t fit that in, then use the trip to work to get in some exercise.
  2. 2 other days a week I fit in a rigorous class of Bootcamp or something similar that will guarantee a full blow out session.
  3. Then 1 day at the weekend (sometimes 2), I’ll do a few hours of something leisurely, that I enjoy, and can include family or friends, and will get the heart rate up at the same time. Usually a cycle, mountain walk, or similar. If nothing else, it will keep you from thinking about food.
  4. Be sure to rest a day in between tough training sessions, to give your muscles a chance to recover – this is very important in any exercise programme… recovery, recovery, recovery!

Holiday Tips:

  1. Start as you mean to go on… go for a light jog/walk on your FIRST morning followed by a few simple exercises on the beach – you will feel fantastic and a little smug afterwards. This will set a nice habit for the remainder of your holiday that your body will thank you for.
  2. Bring your nicest training gear!
  3. Drink plenty of water during the day – the heat will cause you to sweat more and lose essential salts and water from your body.
  4. Avoid over-indulging on rich foods and alcohol every night – take the odd night off.
  5. Plan a few days of activities if possible. These days are a lot more memorable that sitting on a beach all day every day.
  6. Rent a bike and explore your surroundings
  7. Check out exercise classes in your resort and use the time to try something new!

Lorraine Ho, Founder of Bootcamp Ireland, is a judge for this year’s Coca-Cola Thank You Fund. Voluntary and non-profit organisations in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply for the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund (the Fund), which will award a total of €125,000 in five separate grants this year. The grants will serve as major funding for innovative projects with new ideas to get us more active, more often.

Applications for the Fund are being accepted online until 6pm on the 29th of June at www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou

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Coca Cola Thank You Fund Editorial HeaderFacing into the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, I’m upping my game when it comes to my own training. The rewards to be reaped from getting active are many, both physically and mentally.

Paddy Barnes Launches Coca Cola Thank You Fund-2I know people can be intimidated and apprehensive about exercising, just remember you’re not competing with anyone. Getting active is purely for you own benefit, and more importantly, enjoyment.

Check out some handy tips I’ve put together to kick start anyone on their journey to a fitter future:

  1. The first suggestion is very simple: walk to work. It’s the easiest way to squeeze activity into your routine and it will make you fresher and more awake when you get to your job. Other ways to easily incorporate activity include taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking instead of driving for any short journeys you have to make, and getting off the bus a stop early.
  2. See what facilities are out there in your local community and what your local leisure centre has to offer.
  3. Try something new – there are loads of sports out there and you probably haven’t tried them all. I gave hurling a go and had a great time. I was absolutely no good at it to begin with but had a blast and built up a new skill over time.
  4. Exercising to your favourite songs can help keep you motivated. Find that tune that gets you into a positive headspace and feel those calories burn.
  5. Sign up for a training programme. This year I’ve come on board as an ambassador for the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund which is awarding €125,000 to new initiatives enabling people to get more active, more often in local communities. Check out the projects the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund has supported on its website (coca-cola.ie/thankyou) or look at the wide range of other sports programmes that are out there to take part in. I’d advise choosing a project that has a milestone you can reach so you have a clear goal – something like a run or marathon is perfect.

Olympic athlete Paddy Barnes is an ambassador for this year’s Coca-Cola Thank You Fund. Voluntary and non-profit organisations in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply for the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund (the Fund), which will award a total of €125,000 in five separate grants this year. The grants will serve as major funding for innovative projects with new ideas to get us more active, more often.

Applications for the Fund are being accepted online until 6pm on the 29th of June at www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou.

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Coca Cola Thank You Fund Editorial HeaderNo matter what age or size you are, being active on a daily basis is so important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle! Eating healthy food will definitely help you on road to a better you, but in my experience, the ‘healthy glow’ comes from a combination of being active and eating healthy. It’s so easy to discipline yourself into a more active lifestyle, but the question is, are you dedicated enough to embrace the challenge.

You have to give yourself the time and commitment to incorporate activity into your everyday life to make it happen, and when you do, you will be so elated with the results, that it will just fall naturally into your lifestyle.

Lorraine Ho-1As we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass each year, about 1% per year after the age of 25 and our maximal oxygen capacity also declines by about 1% per year, and there is nothing we can do about these declines over all as they are a natural part of ageing. However, there is lots of research that shows that if you stay active throughout your life, you will be healthier in old age and you won’t suffer the declines in fitness and health that other people who don’t exercise may experience. So when we use the term ‘use it or lose it’ it refers to you challenging your muscles, lungs, and heart through exercise.

If you use them they will serve you well throughout your life by continuing to function well in old age. It may seem easy to say that you will be active in your everyday life, but you need to actually make a conscious effort to do so and start with the small things in your life that are easy and enjoyable to take on.

Top 10 Tips on how to introduce Activity into your every day routines:

  1. Get up 20 mins earlier in the morning: This will give you 20 mins extra of activity. Whether it be tidying up your room, preparing your dinner for later, walking some of the way to work instead of driving, making yourself a healthy lunch instead of buying a sandwich etc. Those 20 minutes a day, add up to almost 2 and a half hours a week where you can be more active!
  2. Keep hydrated throughout the day: Not only is keeping hydrated good for you, but it will make you head to the loo every hour, getting you off your chair and moving!
  3. Walk to your colleague’s desk with messages instead of emailing: Another opportunity to get up and moving away from your desk instead of letting your fingers do the walking!
  4. Take a walk at lunchtime: Set yourself a goal of a 20 mins walk at lunchtime each day. Get your music ready on your headphones, and enjoy the rhythm of your walk. It’s a great opportunity to recharge your soul before your afternoon work. Or why not use the opportunity to catch up with people or even check out your podcasts on the go.
  5. Have ‘walk meetings’: We have so many ‘meetings’ at work these days that can be done away from the meeting rooms. Make the great outdoors your ‘meeting room’.  It may even inspire you and even help you think with a different perspective. Make the suggestion to have a walk for a meeting that you have regularly each week, so that you may even look forward to that meeting, and so will everyone else. If you only have a quick 20 minute meeting, then that’s 20 minutes more you have to spend being active instead of sitting at your desk.
  6. Go for a walk after dinner: Most people head to the couch after dinner, but this is actually a perfect time to get out and active. I find that the best time to go for a walk is when the traffic is gone, and I have had my dinner and I use this time to catch up with friends either walking with them or chatting to them on the phone. Not only is it a great time to get outdoors and get some exercise in, but it keeps me away from snacking my way to bedtime!
  7. Cycle or walk to work if you have the time: This is a perfect way to start your day, and I find that any day that I do walk or cycle to work, it clears my head and motivates me so much more to get things done, than if I were to drive. Driving can be so much more costly and stressful than walking or cycling. If you work too far to work then why not use public transport, get off a stop earlier and walk some of the way there. Try it out for a week and see how you get on.
  8. Park as far from the door as possible: Whether it be the supermarket, school, work or even the gym, park your car away from the door and walk that bit further. When it comes to dropping off the kids to school, why not try parking one road away and walking that little bit extra. Not only will it get your and your little ones some extra ‘active points’ but it gives you a chance to have a little catch up on the way.
  9. Use the Stairs: If you live in an apartment block or work in a building with a lift, use the stairs! Your heart will thank you for it!
  10. Set yourself a goal each week: Get yourself a pedometer and set yourself a minimum number of steps that you need to each day. Become more aware of how many steps you are taking each day and try to beat that target each day.

Lorraine Ho, Founder of Bootcamp Ireland, is a judge for this year’s Coca-Cola Thank You Fund. Voluntary and non-profit organisations in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply for the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund (the Fund), which will award a total of €125,000 in five separate grants this year. The grants will serve as major funding for innovative projects with new ideas to get us more active, more often.

Applications for the Fund are being accepted online until 6pm on the 29th of June at www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou.

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