A little resistance to boost that metabolism

For the last few weeks we have been busy re-educating our bodies.

We now know the ideal way to hold our posture.

We understand the real meaning and importance of core strength.

We have experienced the feel good effect that comes from exercising.

So what's next?

Resistance Training

By this I don't mean sets and sets of pumping iron.  It can be achieved through bodyweight training - NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED!.  You may have heard of "Metafit" or "Insanity".  All of these types of classes are based on HIIT workouts - High Intensity Interval Training.  These workouts give you maximum results in minimum time.  They will improve your muscle tone, elevate your heart rate, boost your metabolism and burn fat, even after the session has finished!

HIIT workouts typically consist of 8-10 rounds of exercises performed at a high intensity for a short period of time i.e 45 seconds work to 15 seconds of rest.

They are very straight forward to make up.  Firstly decided if you want to concentrate on a certain area (abs or legs for example) or do a whole body workout.  Then just select whatever exercises suit your goal - so lots of leg based exercises if you want to work on that area etc.

Below I have given you an example whole body HIIT workout that I use with my clients.

Give it a try and see the results!  And remember:

Ensure that you do a 5-10 minute warm up prior to starting the main workout and then cool down and stretch afterwards.

Round 1           45 sec work/15 sec rest

Squats                                

Press ups

High knees

Tricep dips

Burpees

Plank row

Tuck jumps

Russian twist

Wall sit

Round 2           30 sec work/10 sec rest

Squats                                

Press ups

High knees

Tricep dips

Burpees

Plank row

Tuck jumps

Russian twist

Wall sit

 fitness levels.  High and low impact options are provided to ensure your workout is safe and effective, yet challenging at the same time. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Here we are in the last week of January already!

The small changes you have made so far will hopefully have resulted in you feeling more invigorated and energized.  So with the days getting slightly better (weather not quite so much here in rural Perthshire) the thought of training for the year ahead and deciding what we want to achieve is there at the back of our minds.

This weeks small change is more to do with focus.  This week I want you to ask yourself some questions like:

Are you happy with what you do in life, work, relationships?

Are you happy with the people you surround yourself with?

What do you love doing?

What do you dream of doing?

How are you going to get to your dream?

What do you need to do in order to get there?

In order to get there, you must know where you are going and what makes you happy.  What is also important is the process. 

"HAPPINESS IS IN THE JOURNEY AND NOT THE END RESULT"

I strongly recommend reading a book called "Daring Greatly" By Brene Brown in support of this weeks change.  

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” —Theodore Roosevelt

How to use exercise to release the feel good factor!

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that I firmly believe that exercise can help you beat the blues and release stress.

It is apt then that today is the day we put this theory into practice. 

This is because today is known as "Blue Monday", the day that is supposedly the most depressing day of the year. It's all to do with the rubbish weather and the full impact of Christmas finally hitting (when exactly is the next pay day!!!).

So lets stop the downwards spiral in it's path and release some of those feel good hormones.

To achieve this all you need to do is get your heart pumping that little bit more blood around your body by increasing your heart rate.

How do I do this?

Any type of exercise should achieve this but the most effective way is to do some activity that primarily uses your cardiovascular (CV) system.

So activities such as:

Walking (at a decent pace)
Jogging
Running
Fartlek/interval training
Cycling
Skipping
Aerobics
Dancing
Swimming
Almost any exercise class!

Aim to do a little everyday (as little as 5 minutes really helps) and at least 2 decent length sessions per week (30 minutes).

If you are finding it difficult to find the time, try to incorporate it into your everyday tasks.  So walk a bit faster once you are on the homeward leg of the school run, dance around the kitchen while making your dinner (Kitchen Discos are a regular feature in my house!) or even do some oldskool aerobics moves when the adverts are on the TV!

What have you got to loose except your bad mood?

Aileen x

That Feel Good Feeling

 

 

5lbs of FAT!!!!

 

 

It's our 3rd week and we are talking about mindfulness and our consumption of sugar.  Take the time this week to be aware of your need or desire for food.  Our feelings and emotions are very much governed by our over indulgence of sugar and processed food. Not only this, it stores as FAT if we are not burning this up.

A single teaspoon of sugar can supress our immune systems for up to 4 hrs!

Here are a few other problems with sugar:



Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance

Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair

Sugar can cause arthritis.

Sugar can cause asthma.

Sugar can cause candidiasis (yeast infection).

Sugar can lead to formation of gallstones.

Sugar can lead to formation of kidney stones.

Sugar can cause ischemic heart disease

Sugar can cause constipation.Sugar can cause varicose veins

 

And this is only the tip of the iceberg!

 

 

 

Look at what you are eating, think more of what the nutrition in the food is and not just the calorific value!  WE NEED GOOD FOOD!

  
Try this week and see how you feel by sticking to wholefood and reducing your sugar intake:

• Keep a diary
• Tune into how you feel after you have eaten
• Keep going with your water and getting to bed on time

This is where your health becomes about YOU and not just a one size fits all diet plan to follow.  Get out those cook books and see what delicious meals you can come up with that give you the satisfaction you need to keep going and staying away from the quick fixes of sugar.

Enjoy

Sam

It's all about the CORE!

How did you get on last week?

I found the most helpful thought to improve my posture was "where are my ears"?

What I mean by this is;

are they directly above my shoulders or forward of them?

Just by thinking about this I repeatedly had to correct my posture and immediately felt the strain in my neck disappear.  This is also a really useful exercise to do if you suffer from headaches caused by nerve compression in the neck.

So now that we are all more aware of how are body should be aligned lets challenge it to keep its form!

In my opinion, the most vital area to strengthen in before you embark on any dynamic exercise training is the core.   This is because you rely on your core strength for just about every physical action you do - from running to carrying your shopping, from yoga to getting up off the floor.

So my challenge to you this week is:

The Plank Challenge

Planking is a simple but effective body-weight exercise. Holding the body stiff as a board develops strength primarily in the core—the muscles that connect the upper and lower body—as well as the shoulders, arms, and glutes.

1. Place the forearms on the ground with the elbows aligned below the shoulders, and arms parallel to the body at about shoulder-width distance. If flat palms bother your wrists, clasp your hands together.If you perfer you can do the plank with extended arms like you’re about to do a push-up.Plant the hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart)

2. Ground the toes into the floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the body. Your legs should be working in the move too; careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees. 

3. Neutralize the neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond the hands. Your head should be in line with your back.

Next choose your level - level 1 for absolute beginners, level 2 for more experienced individuals and level 3 for those of you looking for more of a challenge.

Do the following exercises for 7 days

Day 1 - level 1 = 30 seconds, level 2 = 40 seconds, level 3 = 50 seconds

Day 2 - level 1 = 40 seconds, level 2 = 50 seconds, level 3 = 60 seconds

Day 3 - level 1 = 50 seconds, level 2 = 60 seconds, level 3 = 70 seconds

Day 4 - level 1 = 60 seconds, level 2 = 60 seconds, level 3 = 70 seconds

Day 5 - level 1 = 60 seconds, level 2 = 70 seconds, level 3 = 80 seconds

Day 6 - level 1 = 65 seconds, level 2 = 80 seconds, level 3 = 90 seconds

Day 7 - level 1 = 70 seconds, level 2 = 90 seconds, level 3 = 100 seconds

Things to watch out for:

Collapsing the lower back

Instead of compromising the lower back by dipping the bum, engage the core by imagining your belly button pulling in toward the spine. This will help keep the torso flat, and in turn, the spine safe. 

Reaching the butt to the sky

Planks aren’t supposed to look like a downward dog. To really get the core working the way it should in the plank position, keep your back flat enough so your abs feel engaged from top (right below the sternum) to bottom (directly below the belt). 

Letting the Head Drop

While the focus may be on keeping the hips, butt, and back in the proper position, form isn’t only about the core and the lower body in this move. It’s important to think of the head and neck as an extension of your back. Keep your eyes on the floor, letting them rest about a foot in front of the hands, which will help keep the neck in a neutral position.

Forgetting to breathe

It’s human nature to hold your breath when in a strenuous position for a period of time. But denying yourself oxygen can bring on dizziness or nausea, which are unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst.

Please do get in touch should you want more of a challenge and I can give you some other variations.

Have fun!!!

7 Days In!

Here we are 7 days in to our new "small change" regime!

I hope all went well and you managed to reduce, if not give up, the coffee and take on board more water!

I can honestly say the tiredness hit me on Monday night!  However, the Brain Fog has cleared and I am now feeling much sharper.

It's amazing what the build up of coffee does to you.  Try to avoid coffee from now on, and certainly after 2 pm as it takes up to 8 hrs for a cup of coffee to pass through your system - you don't want to be getting to bed too late!

Which leads me nicely on to this weeks change:

Getting more sleep

People underestimate the power of sleep in keeping the body free of disease.

So I suggest that you go to bed at a consistent time, ideally in bed by 10 pm and asleep for 10.30 pm.  This allows for all the necessary physiological and psychological mending to take place which is crucial for a fully functioning body and mind.

And best of all its FREE!!!

If you are a person that goes to bed really late - aim for going to bed each night 10 minutes early so that the body can adjust to the new routine.

If you are a person who likes to read gadgets, such as kindles and IPads, be aware that you are increasing your stress hormone.  This means getting to sleep, or maintaining a good sleep, is reduced. 

Keep going with the water and reduced coffee/no coffee and start the new sleep routine.

By doing so I am certain that you will see the difference in your ability to concentrate and the amount of energy you have.

Sweet dreams!

Sam

What to tackle first?

So Ladies, how are we feeling today?

Day one with reduced caffeine went ok - am missing all my cups of tea today but I will stay strong!!!!! 

Now it's time to address your functional physical health.

Where to start?

How about we really go back to basics and look at ALIGNMENT.  This is especially important for core and pelvic floor health.

Does your posture look more like the left or the right? What about when you're carrying and holding something? 

We want to stand, sit, move, and exercise most often in a posture that matches the photo on the right. Not the "bum tucking" photo on the left (I'm guilty)! 

This is incredibly important for your core and pelvic floor function. And for the way that your booty fits into your jeans!  This allows your abdominals, pelvic floor muscles, glutes, and other deep core muscles the best chance to work in the right way and do their job. You should be practicing during pregnancy, post-pregnancy...and, forever!

So my challenge to you is to think about, and become more aware of your posture.

How can I check and improve my posture?

If you can draw a straight line from your earlobe through your shoulder, hip, knee, to the middle of your ankle—–you've got it. 

To find yours:

Using a mirror, align your ears, shoulders, and hips. Proper alignment places your ears loosely above your shoulders and above your hips. Again, these points make a straight line, but the spine itself curves in a slight 'S'. You'll find that this doesn't hurt at all. If you do experience pain, look at your side view in a mirror to see if you're forcing your back into an unnatural position. If you do not have pain, then posture should not be altered, because this could cause other problems. Seek help from a chiropractor if moving yourself into this posture causes pain.

Train your muscles to do the work. 

Exercises that strengthen the muscles across your upper back and shoulders will help you to maintain good posture. You don't need to develop a body builder physique—–it's more important to build "muscle memory" so that you unconsciously and naturally maintain correct posture without fatigue. Try the following, with or without hand weights:

Exercise One

Square your posture, head upright, so that your ears are aligned over your shoulders.

Raise both arms straight out, alongside your ears, palms up.

Bend forearms in and back, toward shoulders, in an effort to touch your shoulder blades with your fingertips.

Do ten repetitions with both arms, then alternate ten reps for each arm singularly.

Exercise Two

Align ears with shoulders as in Exercise One.

Raise both arms out to sides at shoulder height, and hold for a slow count of ten.

Slowly lower arms to sides, counting ten as you lower.

Slowly raise arms back to shoulder height, counting to ten as you raise arms.

Do ten reps, constantly checking your alignment with each rep. If ten reps are too many to start, do as many as you can. You should at least feel a slight fatigue in the shoulder muscles.

Exercise Three

While you wait for a web page to load or the bread to toast, place your elbows at your side, and touch your shoulders with your hands.

Keeping your hands on your shoulders and your ears aligned, raise both elbows (count one, two) and lower them back down (count one, two). Do as many reps as your wait allows. You'll be surprised how much exercise fits into 30 seconds.

Exercise Four

Finally!  Do stretches. 

This can greatly help if you find that you have a sore back or neck. It's also good to do during the day, if your job requires you to sit for long periods.

Tilt or stretch your head in all four directions over your shoulders (forward, back, left, right), and gently massage your neck. Avoid rolling in a circle, as it may cause further strain.

On your hands and knees, curl your back upwards, like a cat, and then do the opposite. Think about being able to place a bowl in the hollow of your back.

Repeat the exercises a few times each day. Doing them in the morning helps your body stretch out the muscle lethargy of sleep. 

Done periodically throughout the day, it will help to raise your energy level like that of a heavy workout.

Practice daily and you will soon see an improvement in the way you hold yourself.

Aileen x

So here goes!

Well folks, I am delighted you have joined us in making small changes for January. These goals are going to grow each week with the guidance of Aileen and myself.

So, what I have decided to focus on this week will be tougher for some of you than others. I have kind of wrapped a few thing into one. Remember though our aims are only suggestions - it is your choice, each person is individual and respecting what your capabilities are is so important. 

So here goes!

You may want to reduce or have no coffee - think more herbal tea and most certainly more water.

My regime has always been  approximately 3 litres of water a day and sometimes more depending on the amount and type of training undertaken. For most people however this would need to be gradually built up. I encourage clients to drink water 30 minutes before eating and 2hrs after eating. I have always used Paul Cheks book "How To Eat Move and Be Healthy".

Some of you may find you experience a detox effect, this can come in the form of tiredness, headaches, etc. Always be sure to seek medical advice prior to engaging in any change of dietary lifestyle.

I look forward to seeing how you all get on next week. Be bold, be brave, let us know how you go! 

My vice will be the coffee. You never stand alone!

We are here if you need us. Enjoy!