My Blog

Keeping your Mind Fit and Healthy

05/04/2012 13:40:00

Losing your mind or developing 'brain fog' as you age isn't normal and shouldn't be accepted. As we age brain activity decreases but our lifestyle can make the brain age much quicker, bad diets, chronic stress, health problems, a lack of sleep, alcohol and illegal drugs contribute to our brains early demise. There are though plenty of things that we can do to keep our brains young and alert.

Don't overeat - Restricting calories triggers certain mechanisms in the body to increase the production of nerve growth factors, which are beneficial to the brain. Each and every calorie you consume to maintain a healthy weight should be packed with nutrition.

Eat your Berries - Studies have shown that eating foods rich in antioxidants can significantly reduce your risk of cognitive impairment. Fruits and Vegetables like blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, spinach, broccoli, brussels, avocados, oranges, red grapes, red peppers and cherries.

Protein calms you down - Lean proteins contain L-tyrosine, an amino acid that is important in creating brain neuro transmitters. this amino acid also produces dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine which are critical for balancing mood and energy. L-tryptophan is another amino acid found in protein which is responsible for the production of Serotonin, it is found in meat, eggs and milk. It has been found that increasing levels of L-tryptophan can be very helpful for stabilising mood, improving mental clarity and sleep and reducing aggressiveness. Great sources of lean protein include fish, chicken, lean beef, beans, nuts, high protein grains and high protein vegetables such as spinach.

Lose the cereal at breakfast time - its especially important to consume protein for breakfast as it increases attention and focus.

No Sugar - Sugar increases inflammation in your body, increasing erratic brain cell firing .

Fat is your friend - The brain is 60% fat, so any abnormalities in the bodies fat level can cause problems in the brain. The 100 billion nerve cells in your brain need essential fatty acids to function. Focus on healthy fats, like omega 3 fatty acids, found in salmon, mackerel, walnuts and green leafy vegetables. Low level of omega 3 fatty acids are associated with depression, anxiety, obesity, ADHD, suicide and an increased risk of Alzheimers disease and dementia.

Drink plenty of water - Proper hydration is essential for proper cognitive function, even slight dehydration can increase the bodies stress hormones and this can be associated with memory loss and obesity.

Exercise - Try interval training, short bursts at full effort followed by longer periods of recovery is a great mood enhancer plus burns body fat at a more efficient level than moderate intensity exercise. Add resistance training, according to research conducted by Rush University medical Center in Chicago, individuals with weakened muscles appear to have a greater risk of developing alzheimers disease and experiencing declines in cognitive function.

Sleep - Much needed to regenerate the brain and its functions, it is imperative that you get a good nights sleep so that your brain is ready to work the following day.

Play Ping Pong - Activities which involve high levels of co-ordination such as dancing, tennis or table tennis can boost your brains function.

Super Vitamin D - Sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is best known for helping to build bones and boost your immune system, it is also essential for brain health, mood and memory. Low levels have been associated with depression, autism and psychosis. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in many of the most basic cognitive functions, including learning and forming memories. Vitamin D rich foods include milk, salmon and mackerel, there is no beating getting outdoors though and getting your daily dose from the sun.

Follow these simple guidelines and you will be prolonging the active ability of your brain.

The Obesity Timebomb - An ITV Tonight Special

02/24/2012 18:32:00

Last night ITV aired a 'Tonight' special report entitled 'The Obesity Time bomb'. It was aimed at highlighting the massive problem we have in this country with obesity but more importantly the even more massive problem we will have in the future if we don't do something NOW!

I say we because everyone has an obligation to take action against this 'disease' which will kill more people than smoking ever did. Currently 1 in 4 adults are clinically obese, that means if it isnt you then look at the next three people, its one of them. Look at your family, look at your workplace, I bet you know someone who is clinicly obese. This doesnt make any sense to me, I grew up in the 70s and 80s, I spent vast amounts of my childhood out....doesnt matter what I was doing, I was out, playing football, riding my bike, playing 40-40, whatever, doesnt matter, what does matter is I was active. I really cannot remember ever having a take away, once or twice my dad brought in fish from the fish and chip shop, not the chips though. There wasn't an Indian take away or a Pizza delivery in the area, you just didnt have such things. When I think about the other kids at my school, even though there was hundreds, I could probably count the number of kids I knew as fat on one hand. So why has this generation grown up to be fat adults?

Here are some statistics from the show

The UK spent 5.5 Billion pounds on take away's last year
The NHS spent 4.2 Billion pounds on treating obesity related ailments
Gastric band operations were up 70% in 2011 (A gastric band operation costs about 50k)

In 1952 the average weight for a man was 10st and for a woman 9st. In 2012 the average weight for a man is 13st and for a woman 11st. By 2062 the avarage weight for a man is projected to be 17st and for a women 13st - 60% of the adult population will be clinicly obese.

Why is this happening? One girl on the show, who was about to have a gastric band operation, explained that she could buy a salad for lunch when at work, but for the same price she could have 3 chicken burgers, she also drank energy drinks because they were almost half the price of a bottle of water. This is a major issue, the availability of fast food has increased massively over the past 30 years, the generation that I referred to earlier could definately be called the Take Away or Fast Food generation. The cost of such food is very appealing, you can buy a ready meal shepherds pie from the supermarket to feed a family of four for less than it costs to make from scratch and you dont have the hassle of having to make it. It will though contain more calories, more fat and less valuable nutrition. Buying Take Away is a treat, someone is bringing food ready to eat to your door I totally understand its appeal, try finding a healthy Take Away, that isnt vastly overloaded with fat and calories and invariably is a larger portion that you should eat anyway.

The show conducted a survey of 2000 adults, they found:-

75% didn't exercise regularly
34% had an unhealthy diet
75% did not eat 5 portion of fruit and vegetables a day
11% eat fast food more than 6 times a week

Almost half said that if fast food was more expensive they would eat less of it.

Now these figures need a bit of clarification, which the show didn't do, what is regular exercise, what constitutes a healthy diet.....But more than 6 instances of fast food a week, come on, what is wrong with people. I love the fact that 75% don't eat 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, now I hear this a lot, a common problem is people complain that they don't know what a portion is. WHO CARES just get eating it, eat fruit and eat vegetables and lots of them or definitely MORE than you currently do.It makes me laugh that people seek clarification on how much a portion is and as a result blame that ignorance for their under consumption, yet everyone knows that a Pizza is essentially bad for you but the same people do not hesitate to gobble these up. I guess drinking water should be included at this point, most people I meet know roughly how much water it is recommended they should consume on a daily basis, do they do it?, NO, why? beacause essentialy they are lazy or prefer the taste of a sugary energy drink.

The show mentioned that some of our European neighbours had instilled taxes to tackle their obesity problems, Denmark has a tax on fat in food, France a tax on sugar, Hungary has a tax on ready meals. This is all very well and we can sit back and say that the Government should be doing more but what exactly could they do? There has been awareness programme's for healthy eating, 5 a day, the Change 4 life campaign, Jamie Oliver's school dinner improvement campaign, food labelling has improved massively. Yet still the obesity figures and the cost of obesity expands.

You all need to wake up, stop pretending that none of this applies to you or anyone you know and take responsibility. You need to improve your diet, eat fresh food, cook more food from scratch, eat less take away's and ready meals, eat less cakes and biscuits. Get more exercise, use the car less.

If you don't the effects on your health, your childrens health, the NHS and the UK economy as a whole are going to be devastating.

Its Pancake Day!

02/21/2012 11:53:00

Today is one of my favourite days of the year, its up there with Christmas, my birthday and the first day of school after the summer holidays. Mmmmyummyummyumm, do I love pancakes, Im looking forward to eating 4 or 5, there only little arent they?

First of all a little insight into the origins of pancakes and pancake day. Pancakes have been around for thousands of years, evidence suggests that they are one of the earliest commonly used form of cereal based food. Pancakes exist in the diet of most countries all over the world, they come in various shapes and sizes from the French and English versions which are thin, light and silky to the American pancake which is thicker and fluffy.

Do you know why we have pancake day? No, it's not just an excuse to consume loads of pancakes, it is actually called Shrove Tuesday, the word shrove comes from the old English word 'Shrive', which means to confess all sins. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of lent. traditionally pancakes were a way of using up stocks of eggs, milk and butter which were forbidden during the abstinence of lent.

So should you have 4-5 pancakes this evening? Well pancakes are a very basic batter recipe, Eggs, flour, milk, butter and maybe water, nothing too bad here but, it depends how you have your pancakes and then what you add to them.

Assuming that a basic serving is 2 pancakes (not 4 - 5, sorry) a serving of English pancakes on their own are approximately 120-150 calories. A lot of people are favouring an American style pancake (thank you Mcdonalds) which although smaller in diameter is thicker and denser, a serving of these on their own could come in at 300 calories!

Then you have to factor in how you have your Pancakes, what fillings you put with them, again this can vary dramatically from the traditional lemon juice and sugar, 180-200 calories per serving to something I found on the internet which was right up my street, Banana (oooh fruit, healthy), Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips, which weighed in at 600 calories per serving, this was with english pancakes, why stop there though a dollop of whipped cream and some maple syrup, substitute in American pancakes surely makes this a treat for anyone. Yes a 1000 calorie treat.

So, you've got be careful, stick to English style, nice and thin pancakes, traditional lemon and sugar is good, but you could instead have fresh fruit, blueberries, raspberries, figs, cooked apple and pear is nice, chopped nuts are a good addition if you want to up the Protein content, Creme fraiche or natural yoghurt to make it more luxurious. If you have to have something sweet add some good quality natural honey.

Most of all though, enjoy making them, get the kids involved, they are so easy to make and nothing is quite as satisfying as getting your first pancake toss right.

Fail to Plan then you Plan to Fail

02/11/2012 14:29:00

I visited a local gym the other day, not my usual place but a gym that I used to use a few years back. Nothing much had changed, same equipment and a few of the same faces using it, there was one thing that was different though, the gym now employed Personal Trainers. There they were in all their glory, 4 of them, smiling back at me from a notice board outside the gym, giving details of their qualifications and experience and how they were the best in the business at getting you to achieve your goals. I was feeling optimistic as I entered the gym, I always enjoy seeing other fitness professionals plying their trade and fighting the good fight to make the nation fitter.

I started my workout and casually glanced around the gym to see if I could see any of these fitness guru's, if I'm honest it took me a while, then I spotted one, leaning on a piece of equipment chatting to a Gym Instructor, ok so he doesn't have a client to see at the moment, after 40 minutes and various different leaning positions against various pieces of equipment I realised why, oh well.

Whilst Mr Lean-to was doing his thing I'd noticed 2 other trainers, one male, one female, both appeared to be training a client, this is looking better I thought. Whilst I carried on with my workout I saw these 2 trainers putting there clients through their paces but there was something wrong, neither trainer appeared to be following any sort of plan, neither had anything with them to refer to or record achievement on. Both trainers appeared to be 'winging' it, unless they both had some kind of perfect recall photographic memory. There was no structure to the workouts, trainer and client would move from exercise to exercise generally whatever was close by. Now both clients appeared to be finding their respective workouts difficult and challenging but if their Trainer isn't planning and recording achievement how will they progress over their forthcoming workouts.

This no plan approach is one that I've noticed more and more being used by Personal trainers, some may have a few formulated programmes that they use for the majority of their clients, changing the odd exercise as they go, where's the 'personal' in that. Others literally make it up as they go along throwing in a few standard exercises, pushing clients to a point of collapse, all in the name of delivering a hard workout.

First and foremost a workout has to be effective for it to make a difference and for it to be effective it needs to be planned, it needs to be recorded and it needs to be progressed from previous workouts, it needs to be applicable to the goals of the client. So it has to have structure, this also enables your client to also see how they are progressing and realise their goals. Your trainer should have planned your next few workouts and have short, medium and long term ideas as to how your training should progress.

So if your trainer is not doing this what are you paying for?

Stabilize your Core

01/28/2012 17:41:00

To stabilize your core means to maintain the draw in maneuver during the duration of every exercise. the draw in maneuver is when you voluntarily suck in your belly button towards your spine. if you keep your core drawn in and stabilized it will place your body in the correct alignment to be most efficient, it will also make all exercises you do more effective. It will allow you to get optimal results, better balance, muscle balance and reduce your risk of injury.

It is essential that you master the correct technique of a core exercise in order to benefit from the exercise then progress it. Back issues are a common problem when performing core exercises, if you suffer from lower back pain you must work extra hard to prevent pelvic rotation.

If performed correctly the best core exercises can help you achieve dynamic results in a short amount of time. A common result being a reduction in waist circumference.

The Exercises

Floor Bridge - Start: Lie flat on the floor on your back, draw your feet close to your bottom.

Exercise: Raise your hips as high as you can, keep your core drawn in and your bottom tight, hold this position for 60 seconds, if either your core or bottom relaxes, start again and repeat. Make sure you do not arch your back at any point.

Plank - Start: Lie flat on your stomach, place your elbows and forearms on the floor, your elbows should be behind your shoulders.

Exercise: Lift your hips so that your body is parallel with the floor, draw in your core and hold. Only your elbows to hands and the balls of your feet should be in contact with the floor. Do not arch your back, remember to hold your bottom tight, and do not lift your hips above the line of the body. If either core or bottom relaxes, start again and repeat. Hold for up to 60 seconds.

Side Plank - Start: Lie on the floor on your side, position your elbow directly under your shoulder.

Exercise: Raise your body until it forms a straight line, draw in your core and tighten your bottom, hold the position for up to 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Repeat each exercise 3 times, 3-4 times a week.

Women, want to lose weight? Grab some iron

01/22/2012 16:39:00

Are you tired of sweating your way through hour after hour of arduous Cardiovascular exercise and still getting no love from the scales? you need to more iron, not in your diet but in your hands.

Two sessions a week lifting weights can reduce overall body fat by about 3% in just 10 weeks, even if you don't cut a single calorie. This can translate to as much as 3 inches off your waist and hips. Even better, such training pays off in the long term by boosting your metabolism and keeping your body lean and sculpted. Suddenly dumbbells don't sound so dumb.

Although a 30 minute cardio sessions burns more calories than a 30 minute session of strength training, pumping iron burns more overall. A study in 'The journal of Strength and Conditioning Research' found that women who completed an hour long strength training workout burned an average of 100 calories more in the 24 hours after the workout than their cardio counterparts. At three sessions a week that's 15,600 calories a year or four and a half pounds of fat.

Lifting weights quite simply has a positive effect on your metabolism, muscle unlike fat is metabolically active, it simply burns extra calories when you aren't at the gym, turning your body into a calorie burning machine. Muscle is also denser than fat so a pound of muscle takes up considerably less space than a pound of fat, often people who lift weights do not see reults on the scales but find they drop a dress size.

Begin with three sessions a week, aim for total body workouts, targeting major muscle groups such as legs, back, shoulders, abs and go for moves that stress more than one muscle group at a time, like squats. For each exercise try to perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps with a weight heavy enough that by your last rep you cant force out another.

Remember you must fuel your workout sufficiently. Do not make the fatal error of cutting back on protein, this can contribute to you losing muscle. I would recommend that you consume 2.2 gram's of protein for every kilogram of body weight that does not come from fat. For instance a woman who weighs 64kg (just over 10 stone) with 25% body fat would need 106g of protein. That's roughly 3-4 servings a day, good sources are Chicken, Turkey, Other lean meats, Fish, Eggs, low fat dairy products and soya. 106g of protein is only 424 calories a day.

So get out there and start pumping iron, not only is it an effective way to lose weight but it also helps to create a lean, toned physique, guards against osteoporosis and other conditions and increases your strength for everyday activities.

Need more advice or convincing, call me, I guarantee to change your life with weights.

Thanks, Michael.

Metabolism Boosting Foods

01/21/2012 16:52:00

Here are 10 metabolism boosting foods that will increase your calorie expenditure, suppress your appetite and help you to lose weight.

Water. Drinking water can actually speed your metabolic rate by up to 30%. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that can banish feelings of bloating as it flushes out sodium and toxins.
Green Tea. This mood enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti cancer properties and help prevent heart disease
Soup. The combination of liquids and solids acts as a appetite suppressant, meaning that you will naturally consume less calories.
Grapefruit. The unique chemical properties in this vitamin C packed fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boosts metabolism. So the grapefruit diet is not a myth.
Apples and Pears. These low calorie, high fiber fruits will help you feel fuller longer.
Broccoli. Study after study links calcium with weight loss, broccoli is not only high in calcium but packed with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption.
Low fat Yogurt. A rich source of calcium and protein, which boosts metabolism. A diet rich in protein will help suppress your appetite.
Lean Turkey. Not just for Christmas. Turkey is full of appetite curbing protein and very low in fat. Protein rich foods boost metabolism, build lean muscle tissue and help fat loss.
Oatmeal. A heart healthy favourite which ranks high on the good carbohydrate list. Its a great source of fiber that keeps you full and provides the energy to complete workouts.
Chili Peppers. Eat hot peppers speeds up your metabolism and cools down any cravings. Peppers contain Capsaicin which stimulates your body to release stress hormones which in turn speeds up your metabolism.

Keeping up with the Resolutions

01/20/2012 19:49:00

PART 2

Involve your friends. Kids and spouses aren't always the most supportive. Tell your friends about your plan to be more active. Schedule exercise with them, seek encouragement from them.
Notice small improvements. Perhaps the best motivators are the ones you notice in yourself. Is your skin radiant? Have you lost weight? Do your clothes fit better? Are people complimenting you? Are you more energetic, or sleeping better? Remember these improvements when your resolve is weak.
Keep it up for three weeks. Research shows it takes only three weeks to form a habit. Therefore, remind yourself that if you can just follow your fitness plan for 21 days, your chances of staying on it for all of 2012 are excellent.
Establish a goal. Its much easier to continue exercising if you can remind yourself why you are doing it. Enter a charity event, raise some money, it will help you stay focused and motivate you to keep going.
Give yourself a break. There will be times when you don't exercise. Getting off track is a normal part of behavioral change. Don't beat yourself up, but do commit to starting afresh tomorrow.
Seek expert help. The staff at your gym/club are there for a reason, to help you. Get their advice on the best way to reach your goal, they should be experts and qualified in fitness, so should know more than you. If you don't like what one says ask another.

None of these suggestions are the answer for everyone, you may find some more useful than others, the main thing is that you stick at it and these suggestions can help you to do that.

Good luck and think how you will feel in July, having completed 6 months of life changing exercise.

Keeping up with the Resolutions

01/19/2012 21:59:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Bit late I know but how many of you made a new years resolution to get fit and healthy or lose some weight and have already stopped trying to achieve it?

Here is my easy to follow guide to ensuring that you keep up with those resolutions you made and achieve and exceed them.

PART 1

Buy some cool gear. Invest in a great pair of trainers and some nice workout outfits. Feeling good in new workout clothes will help you get into a positive frame of mind each time you prepare to exercise.
Get Walking. Walking is free, easy and one of the most beneficial exercises you can do. Walk outside as much as possible. Fresh air and sunlight are good for you- especially during the winter.
Start small. Most people try to do too much in the beginning. Then they get injured, feel overtired from too much exertion or decide they don't have enough time. Instead build success by setting small goals- 10 minutes a day even- then gradually increase as it becomes habit forming.
Remind yourself that self-motivation is better than a wake up call. We've all known people who change their diet and exercise habits after a health scare. Why wait for the crisis? Remember that starting and maintaining that fitness plan will help to prevent the scary wake up call.
Fight Rationalizations. Don't let rationalizations sabotage your resolve. Not enough time? Shorten your workout, wake up half an hour earlier, walk during your lunch break or exercise whilst watching TV. Or do something that you may think of as fun, ice skating, dancing, swimming with the kids.
Make exercise a Family Affair. Its far easier to make healthy lifestyle changes when your kids or significant other are committing to them as well. Get out cycling, ice skating, swimming or take the dog for a long walk.

PART 2 is coming tomorrow. If you need any help with any fitness or health aspirations please get in contact. Together we can make it happen.

Get in Shape for Christmas

11/04/2011 18:18:00

Are you looking forward to the festive season, to getting glammed up for that party, theres only one problem, you cant quite fit into the dress (or tux, gents) that you've got your eye on, so you need to loose a few pounds.

This can be done easily, everyone could lose half a stone between now and Christmas with a little bit of commitment and some simple alterations to their lifestyle.

Exercise More - Train smart, it doesn't have to be hours and hours down the gym, instead try and spare 30 minutes a day and perform circuits, mix up high tempo Cardio such as star jumps or shuttle sprints with big body movements like Squats, Lunges, Press ups, Pull ups. Perform in quick sequence and rest at the end.
Drink More Water - consume at least 2 litres a day, you need to get your body working at an optimum state and in order to do that you need to be well hydrated.
Give Up Alcohol - for the next 4-6 weeks don't have a drink, each unit of alcohol is on average 100 calories, work out how much you drink in a week, then how many calories you would lose.
NO Take Aways - take aways are loaded with calories, telling yourself its a treat, is just excusing poor eating habits.
NO Cakes, Sweets, Deserts - these are generally filled with calories which have no benefit to you.
NO Bread - try giving it up for the next 4-6 weeks. Bread affects your body's ability to utilise and burn body fat.
NO Starchy Carbohydrates after 3pm - fill your food with fresh produce, meat, fish, vegetables. Snack on fruit and nuts.
Eat lots of Fruit and Vegetables - get as much fresh produce to help your body to work efficiently.
Get More Sleep - sleep is vital to the functioning of your body, in order to lose weight, you have to get sufficient rest.
Eat Breakfast - you have to get your metabolism going in the morning to burn more calories.
Imagine Yourself Thinner - It is very hard to achieve something without seeing yourself in that situation, it will help you to stay on track and achieve your goal.

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